Welcome to the room of interesting trivia! vol.7

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Welcome to the room of interesting trivia!

Today’s theme is ギザギザ[giza giza](in Katakana, ぎざぎざ in Hiragana).

It is classified as Gitaigo (mimetic word) and it means jagged.

What do you think the origin of the Gitaigo is historically?

The answer is “gather[ギャザー]” in English.
For example “gathered” skirt is made by cloth folded.

One day when Japanese coins came to be made, there was a desire to put groove edge on the coins. But it was hard to explain it because there was no word for it. So, it is said that using the word, ギャザー, people gradually said the condition which is jagged as “ギャザ” then it transformed to “ギザギザ[giza giza]”

Special New Year series vol2-Today’s Gitaigo

Today’s Gitaigo
– 擬態語 – mimetic word;
expressions about a situation/ condition of things or gesture/ motion of people or any other creatures

くねくね　- in Hiragana
クネクネ – in Katakana
[kune-kune]

meaning:
winding, meandering, zigzag
wriggling, wiggling, waving

implications:
a situation/ condition that something is winding or meandering and
turns repeatedly in a zigzag or like a snake
a situation/ condition that causes something to wriggle or wave

practical usage:
It is used for something which is winding, meandering or waving.
It is also used for something, such as body if you twist or contort your body

私(わたし)は、くねくね曲(ま)がった道（みち）を歩(ある)きます。
[Watashiwa kunekune magatta michiwo arukimasu]
I walk on a road which turns in a zigzag.
私(わたし)は、くねくねした道（みち）を歩(ある)きます。
[Watashiwa kunekuneshita michiwo arukimasu]
I walk on a winding road.

私(わたし)は、腰(こし)をくねくね動かします。
[Watashiwa koshiwo kunekune ugokashimasu]
I wiggle my hips.

photo:
We went hiking with our dog recently. We plan to go hiking and exercise more this year as our New Year’s resolution. What is your New Year’s resolution?
The road was ‘kunekune’ and it turns in a zigzag like a snake.

****similar Gitaigo
くねくねと[kune-kune-to] as adverb
: in a zigzag, like a snake
くねくねした[kune-kune-shita] as adjective
くねくねとした[kune-kune-toshita] as adjective
くねくねする[kune-kune-suru] as verb

うねうね[une-une]
: especially something, such as a mountain which has a height difference and is winding
うねうねした[une-une-shita] as adjective
うねうねとした[une-une-toshita] as adjective
うねうねと[une-une-to] as adverb
うねうねする[uen-une-suru] as verb

Today’s Gitaigo

Today’s Gitaigo
– 擬態語 – mimetic word;
expressions about a situation/ condition of things or gesture/ motion of people or any other creatures

つるつる　- in Hiragana
ツルツル – in Katakana
[tsuru-tsuru]

meaning:
smooth, slippy, slippery

implications:
a situation/ condition that the surface is smooth or slick or sleek
and or has a sheen
a situation/ condition that causes things to slip or slide

practical usage:
It is used for things which is smooth, slick or sleek.

このクリームはあなたの肌をつるつるにします。
[Kono kuriimu was anata no hada wo tsurutsuru ni shimasu]
This cream makes your skin smooth.

温泉に入ったらつるつるの肌になります。
[Onsen ni haittara tsurutsuru no hada ni narimasu]
If you take a hot spring bath, your skin becomes smooth.

私達はそばをつるつるとすすって食べます。
[Watashitachi wa soba wo tsurutsuru to susutte tabemasu] or
私達はそばをつるつると音を立てて食べます。
[Watashitachi wa soba wo tsurutsuru to oto wo tatete tabemasu]
We slurp up and eat soba. or
We eat soba with a slurping sound.

この道路はつるつると滑ります。
[Kono douro wa tsurutsuru to suberimasu]
This road is slippery.

彼はツルツル頭にしました。
[Kare wa tsurutsuru atama ni shimashita]
He had his head shaved.

photo:

I cooked a new Japanese product, molokheiya soba which is made in Japan and
the noodle was ‘tsurutusuru’ and I could eat it ‘tsurutsuruto’.
It is healthy and delicious as well.

****similar Gitaigo
すべすべ
[sube-sube] : things that is originally soft and that don’t always have a sheen but smooth

つるっと : similar as つるつると
[tsurutto] as adverb
つるんと : similar as つるつると
[tsurunto] as adverb
つるんとした : similar as つるつるな or つるつるとした
[tsuruntoshita] as adjective

Today’s Giongo

Today’s Giongo
– 擬音語 – onomatopoeia;
you can imagine and perceive the state through the five senses using the expression

Today I introduce a Giongo about food.

しゃきしゃき in Hiragana
シャキシャキ in Katakana
[shaki-shaki]

meaning:
crisp

implications:
Can you imagine and sense how the sound is like when you eat fresh and crisp salad?
crisp leaf of lettuce
crisp texture

practical usage:
– when you describe crispy food such as a crisp leaf of lettuce and crisp apple
※Fresh Japanese Daikon (white raddish) is also described as shakishaki.

This salad is very fresh and crisp!
[Kono sarada wa totemo shinsen de Shakishaki desu.(or Shakishaki shiteimasu.)]
For Thanksgiving, I made a Pineapple salad with Japanese Fuji apple!
This salad is ‘shakishaki’ with ‘shakishaki’ apple and ‘shakishaki’ lettuce!

****similar Giongo
パリパリ[pari-pari]
カリカリ[kari-kari]
サクサク[saku-saku] -> light

For its Gitaigo, しゃきしゃき or しゃきしゃきと:
meaning:
brisk
briskly

Brisk walking is good for your health.
[Shakishakito arukukoto wa anatano kenkou ni yoi desu.]

The woman works briskly and efficiently.
[Sono josei wa Shakishakito hatarakimasu.]

****similar Gitaigo
てきぱき[teki-paki]
きびきび[kibi-kibi]

Today’s Gitaigo

Today’s Gitaigo
– 擬態語 – mimetic word;
expressions about a situation/ condition of things or gesture/ motion of people or any other creatures

うきうき　- in Hiragana
ウキウキ – in Katakana
[uki-uki]

meaning:
with a light heart
be stoked

implications:
うき[uki] -> 浮く[uku] (verb) = float
-> floating status/condition
-> mind and or behavior is bouncy and restless/fidgety for exciting things

practical usage:
It is used for specific things that you have already decided.
クリスマスに家族と会うので私はうきうきします。
[Christmas ni kazokuto au node Watashiwa ukiuki shimasu]
Because I am seeing with my family in Christmas, I am stoked.

****similar Gitaigo
わくわく
[waku-waku]
わく -> 沸く[waku] (verb) = boil
-> expectation gushes out
It is used for something you are expecting.
私は初めて海外旅行に行くのでわくわくする。
[Watashiwa hajimete kaigairyokou ni iku node wakuwaku suru]
Because I am going abroad for the firs time, I feel excited.

Today’s Yojijukugo – four-character idiomatic phrase

Today’s Yojijukugo – four-character idiomatic phrase

七転八起　（しちてんはっき）
Shichiten Hakki

key words:
七[shichi] = seven
八[hachi] = eight

implications:
転[ten] -> 転ぶ[korobu] = fall -> the time when life knocks you down and you face troubles
起[ki] -> 起きる[okiru] = stand up ->
the time when you never give up and stand up to the troubles
The number eight is larger than seven. -> the frequency of standing up to the troubles
-> No matter how many times you face any trouble, you never give up and stand up to it.

usage:
Literally it means that you fall seven times and you stand up eight times.
You can say when you are facing any trouble, you never give up and
七転八起[shichiten hakki]して[shite = suru(= do) and]　you will overcome it.

Interestingly in King James version of the Bible you can find it; Proverbs 24 verse 16 tells you that “For a just man, falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.”

Do you “七転八起” suru when you are in trouble? (^^)/

similar:
七転び八起き[nanakorobi yaoki]
不撓不屈[futou fukutsu]

Let’s use correct Keigo!

◇◇◇Let’s use correct 敬語[Keigo](polite language)! part.3◇◇◇

Today I introduce Kenjougo using simple examples.

謙譲語 I [Kenjougo] – humble language/form I – ex) Ukagau, Moushiageru

謙譲語 I is used for the direction toward whom you pay due respect to.
In 謙譲語, you should lower your position for the person whom you pay due respect to.

[plain sentence] —> [Kenjougo]
To your superiors such as your teacher or elders
明日、午後２時に行く。　—>　明日、午後２時に先生のところに伺います。
Asu, gogo niji ni iku. —> Asu, gogo niji ni Sensei no tokoro ni Ukagaimasu.

明日、午後２時に行く。　—>　明日、午後２時に先生のところにお伺いします。
Asu, gogo niji ni iku. —> Asu, gogo niji ni Sensei no tokoro ni Oukagaishimasu. [more polite]

Both are the same meaning and Kenjougo. “O–shimasu” is more polite in these Kenjougo I sentences.
Tomorrow, I’m going at 2pm. –> Tomorrow, I am going to my teacher at 2pm.
In English it is almost the same between the plain sentence and the Kenjougo sentence.
The difference is whether you clearly mention the direction.
The Kenjougo I sentence always has a direction toward whom you pay due respect to.

#basic key words:
asu = tomorrow
gogo = afternoon
niji = 2 o’clock
iku = go
sensei = teacher
no = [possessive particle]: the ‘s in English
tokoro = place, location

Today’s Haiku

Today’s Haiku – a short form of Japanese poetry which consists of three phrases of 5, 7 and 5

人並に　畳の上の　月見かな
Hitonamini, Tatamino ueno, Tsukimikana

Haiku poet: 小林一茶 Kobayashi Issa (1763-1828) – a Japanese poet active during Meiji period of Japan

key words:
人並に(Hitonami ni) : as the world goes around, like everyone else
人(Hito) : person
畳(Tatami) : straw mats
の上(no ue) : above[in this context]
月(Tsuki) : moon
月見(Tsukimi) : moonlight viewing, moon viewing, moon gazing

implications:
Tsukimi is a Japanese traditional custom originally in mid-August, August 15th at night which was mid autumn in the luner calendar. People had believed in the power of the moon, worshiped it as god, spent time along with the cycle of the waxing and waning of the moon since a long time ago.
The mid-August in the luner calender and the time between early September(ie. Sep. 7th) and early October(ie. Oct. 8th) in modern times is called “十五夜[jugo ya]” or “中秋の名月[Chushu no meigetsu]”. It is the day when the moon is going to become closer to the full moon, even though it is not exactly the full moon. The reason why it is called “十五夜[jugo ya]” is because it takes about 15 days to turn to the full moon from the new crescent moon.
夜[yoru/ya] = night

季語[Kigo]-a word or phrase associated with a particular season,
used in Japanese Haiku
月見(Tsukimi) = a word for mid autumn

usage:
Let’s imagine a relaxed sense of time that you are enjoying moon gazing in the mid autumn.
A full moon symbolizes the productiveness of grain so people prayed to the moon and appreciated the harvest, fruition of things, and the connection with their ancestors. Each year “十五夜[jugo ya]” or “中秋の名月[Chushu no meigetsu]” is a different date and in this year 2017, it was October 4th in Japan.